Dear Dharma Friends, Our regular sessions with Lama Adam Berner and Lama Kathy Wesley will continue this month. Lama Adam will lead teachings on “On the Wings of Compassion,” while Lama Kathy will continue the engaging book study of Mingyur Rinpoche’s “Joyful Wisdom.” Additionally, Lama Karma Drodhul will return for his “Guided Practice” session this Thursday, and Khenpo Tenkyong with “A Guide to a Wise Daily Meditation Practice” at the end of the month. Looking forward to practicing together, sharing wisdom, and deepening our collective understanding and compassion. Yours in Dharma, KTC SoCal

• October 3  | Lama Karma – Guided Practice
• October 10  | Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion
• October 17| Lama Kathy – Joyful Wisdom Book Study
• October 24 | Khenpo Tenkyong – Guide to a wise Daily Meditation practice

October 3  Lama Karma Drodhul – Guided Practice

Lama Karma Drodhul‘s guidance carries a profound wisdom that touches the heart and calms the mind. This guided meditation will delve into inner stillness, cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness. Lama Karma will lead a reflective session, offering insights and answering questions. No matter your experience level, everyone is welcome to participate in this transformative gathering. Whether you are a longtime practitioner or new to meditation, we encourage you to embrace this opportunity to deepen your practice and connect with our compassionate community.

October 10 Lama Adam Berner – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion

Most of us begin meditation by learning to let go. Through practices such as calm-abiding meditation, we notice thoughts and concepts, then repeatedly train in letting them go. This is not a complete path to the rich experience of awakening, though, as our daily lives continually demonstrate that, in fact, there are plenty of things we do need to pick up. Discerning what is to be adopted and how to do so is, in many ways, the territory of Lojong, or “mind training”, which is best known for its hallmark practice of taking and sending (tong-len) and its list of 59 pithy slogans.  This series of discussions will explore the Lojong teachings found in Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche’s Great Path of Awakening, as expanded on by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in his book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness. With guided practice and discussion, we’ll extend our understanding of the relationship between compassion and non-conceptuality and why they are considered to be like the two wings of a bird, both necessary for us to take flight.

October  17 Lama Kathy Wesley – Joyful Wisdom Book Study

Lama Kathy Wesley will teach Joyful Wisdom, which addresses the timeless anxiety problem in our everyday lives. “From the 2,500-year-old perspective of Buddhism,” Rinpoche writes, “every chapter in human history could be described as an ‘age of anxiety.’ The anxiety we feel now has been part of the human condition for centuries.” So what do we do? Escape or succumb? Both routes inevitably lead to more complications and problems in our lives. “Buddhism,” he says, “offers a third option. We can look directly at the disturbing emotions and other problems we experience as stepping stones to freedom. Instead of rejecting or surrendering to them, we can befriend them, working through them to reach an enduring authentic experience of our inherent Wisdom, confidence, clarity, and joy.”

October 24 Khenpo Tenkyong – Guide to a wise Daily Meditation practice

Khenpo Tenkyong will give an insightful exploration into the art of wise daily meditation. Drawing from Buddha’s teachings, discover practical insights to integrate mindfulness seamlessly into your everyday life.  Explore the essence of meditation as a transformative tool for modern living. Khenpo Tenkyong will share key elements for a sustainable meditation routine, emphasizing consistency, mindfulness in action, and unwavering focus amidst life’s distractions.

ZOOM starts at 6:15 PM PST with a 15-minute silent meditation; regular teaching begins at 6:30. Please be mindful when entering at that time.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81574392660

Phone
+1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 815 7439 2660

Ask questions via chat, keeping them concise and to the point. We can arrange an interview with the teacher if you have more in-depth questions.

Inspirational Quote:

The traditional instructions on sending and receiving help us to become accustomed to a more positive way of thinking. It is not just our imagination, but we join it with our breath. When we exhale, we imagine our merit, well-being, physical and mental happiness, and whatever fortune we may possess is sent out to other living beings in the form of our exhaled breath as white light, which touches others who receive the goodness we have sent them. They are freed of any burden they carry and are happy and well. As we inhale, we imagine that anything troubling them (their negative emotions, their suffering, their problems, and so forth) leaves in the form of dark light and we inhale it, taking it upon ourselves, and letting it dissolve. We practice that again and again.

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

Teaching Link:
Are We Really So Different? with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche